Untitled (New York Skyline) 1942

Henry Glintenkamp created this stark woodcut print of the New York skyline sometime in the early 1940s. The print is made by carving an image in relief on a block of wood. The remaining raised areas are inked and transferred to paper, requiring considerable skill and physical effort. Here, Glintenkamp has contrasted expanses of black and white to dramatic effect, reflecting the sharp contrasts of the urban landscape. The skyscrapers in the background loom over the industrial waterfront, where workers load and unload cargo. Glintenkamp's choice of woodcut, a traditional craft medium, to depict the modern metropolis is intriguing. The roughness of the medium emphasizes the grit and labor underlying the city's majestic facade. It is a reminder that all materials, whether natural or manufactured, require physical effort and human energy to transform. By attending to these aspects, we get a more holistic sense of the forces that have shaped the world around us, and question traditional divisions between art, design, and craft.